An edible fruit from the Jurassic of China

Frugivory is an important ecological tie between animals and angiosperms. It plays an important role in the evolution of food webs and energy flow networks in the ecosystem. However, little is known about how old this relationship can be due to lack of relevant fossil evidence. Here, the authors report a fossil fruit, Jurafructus gen. nov., a putative angiosperm from the Middle–Late Jurassic (>164 Ma) of Daohugou Village, Inner Mongolia, China, which provides the currently earliest evidence of frugivory. The fossil is a more or less three-dimensionally preserved coalified drupe that has been damaged by animals in two different ways. The pericarp, in addition to the seed coat surrounding parenchyma seed contents, is suggestive of an angiospermous affinity, as such a 3+3 structure is distinct from a three-layered seed coat in gymnosperms. The seed possesses a distal micropyle, attached on the base of the pericarp, suggestive of a former orthotropous ovule in the gynoecium. The damaged pericarp of Jurafructus suggests that frugivory can be dated back to the Middle–Late Jurassic. Apparently, the ecological relationship between angiosperms and animals extends deep into the fossil record.     

追溯最古老的琥珀——树脂植物的起源与演化

琥珀是一类有机宝石,其经济价值和科学意义日益受到重视.琥珀是植物树脂的化石形式.本文综述了现代的和已绝灭的产树脂植物的种类与地史分布.现代的产树脂植物包括松柏类和诸多被子植物科,现代松柏类如南洋杉科的琥珀最早可追溯至晚三叠世—早侏罗世,但在白垩纪中期至中新世的地层中更为丰富.始新世以来,热带和亚热带被子植物来源的琥珀开始占优势地位.绝灭的产树脂植物包括繁盛于石炭—二叠纪的科达类和髓木类种子蕨以及石炭纪以来出现并已绝灭的一些松柏类裸子植物.目前已知最早的琥珀产自晚石炭世地层(距今约3.2亿年).琥珀中含丰富的动植物化石,为研究地球生命的演化历史提供了重要材料.     

An Undercover Angiosperm from the Jurassic of China

<正>Searching for early angiosperms is a riveting activity in botany because it helps to resolve the phylogenetic relationships among seed plants and among angiosperms themselves.One of the challenges for this job is what the target fossils look like.Most possibly early angiosperms may elude our scrutiny with gymnospermous appearances.This possibility becomes a reality in a Jurassic plant,Solaranthus gen.nov,which bears a peltaspermalean appearance and enclosed ovules.According to knowledge available hitherto,the latter feature makes it an angiosperm.However,such a feature is more likely to be eclipsed by its gymnospermous appearance.The early age and unexpected character assemblage of Solaranthus urge for a fresh look on the assumed-simple relationship between angiosperms and gymnosperms.Its resemblance to the order Peltaspermales favors the Mostly Male Theory.     

A New Species of Ginkgo with Male Cones and Pollen Grains in situ from the Middle Jurassic of Eastern Xinjiang, China

Well-preserved Ginkgo pollen organs are analyzed from the Middle Jurassic Xishanyao Formation of the Turpan–Hami Basin, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China, and are described as a new species, Ginkgo hamiensis Z.X. Wang et B.N. Sun sp. nov. The immature male cones are cylindrical and catkin-like, with two longitudinal stripes on the stalk. The pollen sacs are shaped like a long oval with two pollen sacs fused together for each microsporophyll, and the microsporophyll tip is a triangular cystidium. The pollen grains are oblong or fusiform and monocolpate; both ends are blunt or sharp. By comparison with previously reported fossil records of Ginkgo plants, we determined that the current fossils are different from all other reported species; thus, the present fossil is referred to as a new species of Ginkgo. The reproductive organs of the Ginkgo fossils described herein can provide valuable information for the study of Ginkgo plants. Further, there are two probable evolutionary trends in the Ginkgo pollen cones. One trend is that the number of pollen sacs changed from three or four during the Jurassic and Cretaceous to two at the present day; the other is that the number of pollen sacs has remained two from the Middle Jurassic to the present day. In addition, the pollen cones described herein are similar to the pollen cones of the extant Ginkgo, which strongly indicates that the morphology of Ginkgo plants may have remained highly conserved over millions of years.     

Ages of Jurassic volcano-sedimentary strata in the Yanshan Fold-and-Thrust Belt and their implications for the coal-bearing strata of northern China

ABSTRACT

Jurassic coal-bearing strata are widely distributed in the North China Craton (NCC) and other areas of northern China. These coal-bearing strata were previously considered to be Early–Middle Jurassic in age based on plant fossils, particularly the fossil assemblage of Coniopteris–Phoenicopsis. Since coal-bearing strata are interbedded with volcanic units in the basins of the Yanshan Fold-and-Thrust Belt (YFTB), northern NCC, isotopic dating of the volcanic units can therefore provide age constraints on the coal-bearing strata and the Coniopteris?Phoenicopsis assemblage. In this paper, we performed a systematic geological survey and present the results of zircon U–Pb dating of the volcanic units and a pluton in typical basins of the YFTB. These data, combined with the results of previous studies, indicate that the ages of the Nandaling/Xinglonggou, Haifanggou, Jiulongshan, and Tiaojishan/Lanqi formations are 180–168, 169–161, 161–157, and 161–153 Ma, respectively. The ages of the interbedded coal-bearing Yaopo and Beipiao formations are constrained to be 169–161 and 177–169 Ma, respectively. Our results demonstrate that both the coal-bearing strata and the Coniopteris?Phoenicopsis assemblage are Middle Jurassic in age, which is younger than that previously considered. This fossil assemblage plays a critical role in age constraints on the Jurassic coal-bearing strata. The refinement of its age permits a more precise dating of the coal-bearing strata, especially in northwestern China, where datable interbedded volcanic units are lacking.

• Stratigraphical framework for the Jurassic strata of Yanshan region is established.

• The fossil assemblage of Coniopteris?Phoenicopsis occurred in Middle Jurassic.

• The Jurassic coal-bearing strata in northern China are mainly Middle Jurassic.

     

Xingxueanthus: An Enigmatic Jurassic Seed Plant and Its Implications for the Origin of Angiospermy

Abstract: The origin of angiosperms has been tantalizing botanists for centuries. Despite the efforts of palaeobotanists, most of the pre-Cretaceous angiosperms are regarded either non-convincing or misdated. The applications of SEM and LM (light microscope) enable us to recognize a coalified fossil plant, Xingxueanthus sinensis gen. et sp. nov., from the Haifanggou Formation (Middle Jurassic, >160 Ma) in western Liaoning, China. Xingxueanthus is an “inflorescence” with more than 20 female units spirally arranged. Each female unit is situated in the axil of a bract. The female unit is composed of an ovule-container and a style-like projection at the top. There is a vertical column bearing several ovules in the ovule-container. The general morphology and the internal structure of Xingxueanthus distinguish itself from any known fossil and extant gymnosperms, and its structures are more comparable to those of angiosperms. Xingxueanthus, if taken as a gymnosperm, would represent a new class, demonstrate an evolutionarily advanced status of ovule-protection in gymnosperms never seen before, and provide new insights into the origin of angiospermy. Alternatively, if taken as an angiosperm, together with Schmeissneria, it would increase the diversity of Jurassic angiosperms, which has been underestimated for a long time, and suggest a much earlier origin of angiospermy than currently accepted.     

A New Angiosperm Genus from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation, Western Liaoning, China

The abundant fossils of early angiosperms found in the Yixian Formation (125 Ma, Early Cretaceous) have demonstrated unexpectedly high diversity and various reproductive strategies, and thus have shed new light on early angiosperm evolution. Here, using light microscope and scanning electron microscope, we document several fructifications of Baicarpus gen. nov. from Liaoning province, China. Each fructification of the new taxon includes several apocarpous carpels/fruits attached in an urn-formed gynobase. Each fruit/carpel has a persistent straight style and an ovary enclosing a single seed. These fossil plants demonstrate a new floral organization and thus enhance our understanding of the diversity of angiosperms in the Yixian Formation. Together with previously reported ones, this fossil angiosperm suggests an origin time for angiosperms earlier than widely accepted.     

金原篦羽叶Ctenis kaneharai Yokoyama最完整叶部化石的发现

概要报道产于辽西北票市常河营乡长垅地沟村东山中侏罗统海房沟组中一种大型苏铁类叶部化石——金原篦羽叶Ctenis kaneharai Yokoyama.这种化石最早被报道于辽宁东部凤城县赛马集碾子沟中侏罗统大堡组,后来在日本和英国也被发现.但是,以往发表的该种所有材料都是些植物叶部断片标本,对它的全貌并不了解.在本文中报道的该种标本,不仅数量多而且保存得特别完整.可以说,这是迄今在我国辽西中侏罗世燕辽植物群中大型苏铁类保存最完整叶部化石的又一次重要发现.它为正确了解我国燕辽植物群的性质,苏铁类的整体形态特征和古气候状况分析,提供了更为可靠的化石依据.     

吐哈盆地北缘中侏罗世植物化石稳定碳同位素的古环境意义

新疆吐哈盆地北缘三道岭煤田中侏罗统西山窑组的植物化石属于Coniopteris-Phoenicopsis植物群的典型组合。从该植物群中挑选出优势属种,分别为似银杏、拟刺葵、枝脉蕨以及斯堪尼狭轴穗,对其进行稳定碳同位素分析。前3种为叶片化石,它们的δ13C值分布在-21.66‰~-23.83‰,属于典型的C3植物。最后一种为繁殖器官化石,其δ13C值为-20.91‰,比叶片的值高。将δ13C值根据公式转换为大气CO₂的δ13C_a值,发现基于银杏类叶片获得的现代和中侏罗世的δ13C_a值与其他方法获得的值相似。这说明银杏类叶片是重建地质历史时期δ13C_a的一类可靠植物,为今后研究中生代-新生代δ13C_a变化提供了一个简便而可行的方法。C_i/C_a比值是一重要的植物生理生态特征值,因此进一步将银杏类化石叶片的δ13C值换算成C_i/C_a。化石似银杏的C_i/C_a值为0.6,而现生银杏的C_i/C_a为0.63,二者相似。虽然三道岭地区中侏罗世的CO₂浓度约为现在的4.5倍,但是化石和现生银杏类植物的C_i/C_a值仍然保持恒定,表明银杏植物的气孔参数对CO₂变化比较敏感,是重建古CO₂浓度的良好指示植物。这也为判断一种植物能否用来重建古CO₂浓度提供了一种简便而有效的检测方法。     

A Novel Angiosperm from the Early Cretaceous and Its Implications for Carpel‐Deriving

The Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of China is famous for its fossils of early angiosperms, and these fossils have shed otherwise unavailable light on the evolution of angiosperms. The seeds in Archaefructus and Nothodichocarpum are inserted along the dorsal of the fruits while those in Sinocarpus are along the ventral of the fruits, suggesting different Bau‐plans and pathways deriving the carpels in these plants of the Early Cretaceous. Adding further fossil evidence, here we report a novel fossil angiosperm, Neofructus lingyuanensis gen. et sp. nov, with its seeds inserted on both ventral and dorsal sides of the fruits documented through light microscopic and SEM observations, suggesting a novel way forming gynoecium in the Yixian Formation. These fossil angiosperms indicate that angiosperm gynoecia in the Yixian Formation (the Barremian to Aptian) are derived in obviously different ways, implying an evolutionary scenario for angiosperms quite different from formerly assumed.     

华北地台南缘中侏罗世气候变热的古植物学证据

根据对豫西地区义马组植物群三个植物组合的系统研究,以古植物组合的动态变化及古植物叶相特征为证据,论证了华北地台南缘中—晚侏罗世时期气候变热是从巴柔—巴通早期开始的,明显早于南欧、中亚及西北利亚地区。     

湖南汝城盆地原定中侏罗世地层发现早白垩世孢粉组合

通过对湖南汝城盆地原定为中侏罗统的李家洞水库剖面28个孢粉样品的分析处理,发现24个样品有孢粉化石,化石呈现早白垩世孢粉化石组合特征。发现的早白垩世特征分子有高含量的无突肋纹孢Cicatricosisporites,徐氏孢Hsuisporites,刺毛孢Pilosisporites,膜环弱缝孢Aequitriradites,二连粉Erlianpollis,有突肋纹孢Appendicisporites,微囊粉Parvisaccites,以及少量被子植物花粉。依据孢粉化石组合特征,建议将本剖面时代重新厘定为早白垩世。     

A New Axymyiid Genus with Two New Species from the Middle Jurassic of China (Diptera: Nematocera: Axymyiidae)

The Axymyiidae is one of the small families of the suborder Nematocera within the Diptera.Up to date,three genera and seven species of extant axymyiids have been described from the Holarctic Region,including Canada,China,Hungary,Japan,Russia,and USA,with three genera and three species of fossil taxa described from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou,northeastern China.A new genus Raraxymyia gen.nov.and two new species,R.parallela and R.proxima gen.et sp.nov.from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou Village,Inner Mongolia,China,are herein described based on their well-preserved wings and body characters.A revised key to the genera of axymyiids is provided.     

Stratigraphy and Geochronology of Vertebrate Fossil‐Bearing Jurassic Strata from Linglongta,Jianchang County,Western Liaoning,Northeastern China

Northeastern China contains widely distributed Jurassic terrestrial strata that have yielded many spectacular mammal and pterosaur fossils, in addition to feathered dinosaur fossils and more recent discoveries from Jianchang, particularly from western Liaoning. However, the fossil-bearing stratigraphic succession, regional correlation, and age estimates of the fossils found in Jianchang County and nearby areas have been contentious. Here, we report on the vertebrate fossil-bearing Jurassic stratigraphy from Linglongta, Jianchang County, western Liaoning, including a SHRIMP U-Pb zircon date unambiguously associated with the fossil horizons. The primary goal was to determine the vertebrate fossil-bearing succession. A further aim was to provide age estimations for the fossil-bearing horizon as well as the earliest appearance of feathered dinosaurs, the eutherian–placental clade, and transitional pterosaurs. Field investigations showed that the vertebrate fossil-bearing stratigraphic succession in Jianchang County mainly consists of basal andesites overlain by rhythmic tuffs and tuffaceous lacustrine sediments, with the upper intermediate or acidic lavas interbedded with laminated more or less tuffaceous lacustrine deposits. This sequence correlates well with the Middle Jurassic Lanqi/Tiaojishan Formation in northeastern China. Detailed and accurate field observations showed that the well-preserved vertebrate fossils were buried in either the middle or the upper fine-grained laminated lacustrine deposits. Previous and current SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dates provide an age estimation of 161–159 Myr for the fossil-bearing horizon and vertebrates. This indicates that the earliest appearance of feathered dinosaurs here was more than 159 Myr ago and unquestionably older than Archaeopteryx from Germany, making these the earliest known feathered dinosaurs in the world. Furthermore, the eutherian–placental clade and the known transitional pterosaurs first emerged no later than 161 Myr. The vertebrate assemblage unearthed recently from Linglongta and neighboring areas in Jianchang County belongs to the Daohugou Biota. In addition to feathered dinosaurs, this biota was characterized by mammals, primitive pterosaurs, insects, and plants and was present in Inner Mongolia, western Liaoning, and northern Hebei in northeastern China during the Middle–Late Jurassic.     

A New Species of Coniopteris moguqiensis sp. nov. from the Middle Jurassic Wanbao Formation in Eastern Inner Mongolia,China

In recent years, an increasing number of plant fossil leaves and petrified woods have been discovered from the Middle Jurassic Wanbao Formation in Moguqi Town of Inner Mongolia, NE China. Here, we describe a new species of Coniopteris moguqiensis sp. nov. preserved as a fragment with fertile and sterile pinnules. The sterile ultimate pinnules are elongate ovate with sphenopteriod type venation, and fertile pinnules are usually isolated, bipinnate at least with the sorus apical, elliptical, 1 mm in diameter; sporangia are almost globular, 100–150 μm in diameter, and the annulus is vertical. In situ spores are rounded-triangular in polar view, 25–30 μm in diameter with sides straight and slightly convex; trilete, laesurae are thin and slightly straight; the exine surface is usually psilate under the light microscope but finely reticuloid sculptured on the proximal view under a scanning electronic microscope. The fern genus Coniopteris usually suggests a warm and humid environment, which is consistent with the palaeoclimatic conditions of petrified wood and megafossil plants. The new discovery further supplements the floral composition of the Wanbao Formation, providing new material for understanding the evolutionary trend and classification of Coniopteris.     

柴达木盆地北缘侏罗纪古生态特征及其古地理意义

根据多门类化石古生态和岩相、沉积构造等资料,分析了柴达木盆地北缘侏罗纪的古气候和沉积环境。介形类、轮藻、叶肢介、双壳类和植物等化石在地层中的产出特征反映了当时以湖沼及滨浅湖为主的沉积环境,广泛分布的植物及孢粉化石组合面貌的变化揭示出盆地北缘早、中侏罗世为热带－亚热带温湿气候,早侏罗世晚期和中侏罗世晚期古气候两度明显干热化。陆生植物与湖沼相动物化石的交替出现,反映了盆地北缘侏罗纪湖泊、沼泽与低山相间分布的古地理面貌。早侏罗世湖泊多期发育但规模较小,中侏罗世中晚期湖泊规模最大。     

甘肃宝积山盆地中侏罗世石拐茨康叶表皮构造及古环境意义

甘肃宝积山盆地中侏罗统窑街组发现茨康类植物化石,通过对其外部形态和表皮构造研究,认定为石拐茨康叶(Czekanowskia(Vachrameevia)shiguaiensis)。对比当前化石及其现存最近对应种(the nearest living equivalent species)—Ginkgo biloba L.的气孔比率,得到宝积山盆地在中侏罗世的古大气CO_2体积分数为1.55×10~(-3),数值接近GEOCARBⅢ碳平衡模型的拟合曲线,表明茨康叶属植物也是恢复古大气CO_2体积分数的良好材料。同时,通过角质层特征进行古环境重建,结果表明宝积山盆地在中侏罗世时期气候较为温和湿润。     

Arman’ Flora of the magadan region and development of floras in the North Pacific during the Albian-Paleocene

The Arman’ Flora from volcanogenic-sedimentary deposits in the Arman’ River basin and Naraula Formation in the Nel’kandzha-Khasyn interfluve includes 82 species of fossil plants comprising liverworts, horsetails, ferns, caytonealeans, cycadaleans, ginkgoaleans, czekanowskialeans, conifers, gymnosperms incertae sedis, and angiosperms. The Arman’ Flora appears to be of Turonian-Coniacian age, as it is close to the reliably dated Penzhina and Kaivayam floras from the Northwest Kamchatka and to Tyl’pegyrgynai Flora of the Pekul’nei Ridge. The dating is consistent with isotopic dates (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and U-Pb SHRIMP) characterizing the age of plant-bearing sequences. Based on the considered position of the Arman’ Flora in the scheme of Cretaceous florogenesis, a leading role in that florogenesis was played by the gradual invasion of floras by new, angiosperm dominated, plant communities. These communities initially populated unstable habitats in the coastal lowlands of Northeast Asia and Alaska, gradually invading with time the Asiatic intracontinental areas. The peculiar combination of Early and Late Cretaceous plants characteristic of the Arman’ Flora is strong evidence that Cenophytic plant communities dominated by angiosperms colonized areas still populated in the Late Cretaceous by Mesophytic communities. Absence of Mesophytic and Cenophytic taxa mixing in the Arman’ Flora burials suggests a replacement of plant communities as whole rather than of separate plants by more advanced taxa.     

辽西凌源热水汤地区中生代含蝾螈化石地层新知

在辽西凌源热水汤地区新发现一套夹于中酸性和酸性火山岩中的含蝾螈等化石的沉积层,可以称之为热水汤层.该层所产蝾螈化石特征类似于内蒙宁城县山头乡道虎沟地区海房沟组的初螈类,其伴生植物化石组合显示介于中侏罗世海房沟组至早白垩世义县组之间的特征,其时代置于中侏罗世晚期较为合适.同时,将热水汤层及其上覆、下伏酸性和中酸性火山岩一并划归髫髻山组.     

河北省康保县土城子煤矿一带含煤地层时代讨论

通过对河北省康保县毛不拉、张纪村、土城子及沽源县小石门沟一带,含煤地层的古气候环境、岩性组合、岩相、含煤特征、动植物化石数量、化石组合等分析,认为该含煤地层的时代属中侏罗世早期,其应与下花园组对比。